Goodell says Shockey isn’t the whistleblower

Posted by Mike Florio on March 26, 2012, 7:34 PM EDT

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Five days after the NFL put analyst Warren Sapp on NFL Network to declare that former Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey blew the whistle on the team’s three-year bounty system, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said on NFL Network that Shockey isn’t the whistleblower.

The comments came during a press conference held in connection with the annual league meetings.

Per multiple Twitter accounts of reporters who were covering the press conference, Goodell also took issue with Sapp’s use of the word “snitch” to describe the whistleblower.

Goodell said that NFL Network management will be responsible for imposing discipline, if any, on Sapp, subject to the possibility that Goodell would be asked to review any decision. NFLN previously has said that Sapp won’t be fired, but the network would not address whether other possible penalties would apply.

“Just like anyone in the media, you’re held accountable for your statements and sources,” Goodell said, via Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.

A higher level of accountability applies here, given that the league needs to ensure that the whistleblower is protected from retaliations — for legal reasons, for business reasons, for safety reasons, and because it’s the right thing to do.

Over the weekend, we reported that Shockey has been meeting with lawyers, and that he’s “hell bent” on taking action of some kind against Sapp and/or the league. The best outcome for everyone would be for a team to sign Shockey; a report emerged on Sunday that he could still land with the Panthers.

I hate how hip hop has imposed some stupid rule on doing the right thing. Turning in murderers to authorities isn’t “snitching”. Turning illegal business practices that endanger others isn’t “snitching”. Someone did the right thing here, and saved a few careers. The next time I hear the word snitch used, I hope it is the last time.

sapp is the real “whistleblower” in all of this. for a former player to rat out a player who is helping get rid of bounties? you’re trash sapp.

usuallysneeringatyou says:Mar 26, 2012 7:49 PM

“Just like anyone in the media…”?
Oh – so then Sapp WON’T be held accountable, nor be accountable, for anything, in any way.
And in fact, will be rewarded, by his employer and the entire body of his colleagues and peers, for telling sensational lies, distorting the truth, and behaving viciously toward unworthy human beings, in order to gain readership and pageviews and mouseclicks, and advance the only worthy agenda.
Got it.

That fat piece of garbage warren sapp should be fired and sued for all he is worth for calling him a snitch and saying he was whistle blower he should be be made to tell his source and he should be sued. Complete travisrt

Oh yeah right Roger…this from a commish who stated the cowboys and skins did nothing wrong but yet still stuck it to them you liar…what kind of law did you study convict the innocent and free the guilty???

It is right to keep the whistleblowers identity under wraps. So we are told here.
If PFT heard who is was before anyone else would they post it? How fast will the post the name after someone else does?

I hate how hip hop has imposed some stupid rule on doing the right thing. Turning in murderers to authorities isn’t “snitching”. Turning illegal business practices that endanger others isn’t “snitching”. Someone did the right thing here, and saved a few careers. The next time I hear the word snitch used, I hope it is the last time.
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Hip hop culture to blame? Certainly, it couldn’t have anything to do with hundreds of years of violent American History where snitches were hanged, burned at the stake in the 1700’s, shot by firing squads, lynched/hanged, contract hits by Italian mafias, stories of violence to snitches in old folk songs or regional American outdoorsmen folklore, then later glorified in nearly every genre of American film from James Cagney to Samuel L. Jackson?

That’s the fault of hip hop? Really? Cause gangster movies of the 1930s and 1940s were so kind to “rats”. Or the Oscar winning film “The Departed”.

Ummm. You do realize those are the bad guys right?

hittfamily says:Mar 26, 2012 8:15 PM

wetpaperbag3 :

The “stop snitching” campaign is directly linked to hip hop. All those groups you pointed to had reasons to want to stop snitching: They were directly involved with illegal dealings and benefitted by silencing those who dare to stand up to them.

The modern day “stop snitching” campaign being perpetrated says never help authorities. No one benefits, and all suffer.

The harder Shockey denies it and now Goodell denying it, the more I think it was him. If he were closer to retirement I’d say, admit it, get someone to write a book for you about it and go on tour talking about it.

thraiderskin says:Mar 26, 2012 8:19 PM

wetpaperbag3

Nope, pretty sure it came to light in the more URBAN areas of the country, backed by a hip-hop culture who glorified crime and drug use and sales, then threatens to shut you up PERMANENTLY for telling authorities of its presense. I believe it came to the forefront when a certain NBA star posed in a video to let all the public know “quite snitching,” while surrounded by a bunch of his “BOYZ” who had wrap sheets the length of an NFL endzone. Reality is what it is, sorry if it offends some.

thraiderskin says:Mar 26, 2012 8:20 PM

quite=quit

opie333 says:Mar 26, 2012 8:22 PM

Shocked is God ell’s bitch!

kingfish4242 says:Mar 26, 2012 8:27 PM

arm57romg says:
Mar 26, 2012 8:05 PM
So, when we find out Goodell is lying, will he be suspended for a year and docked $46 million?

I can’t believe this got 2 thumbs down. This is beautiful sarcasm and i’m still laughing.

Good job

eyeh8goodell says:Mar 26, 2012 8:31 PM

Like Goodell would say otherwise. If Shockey really is the informant then of course Goodell would say that to protect him.

So Goodell has a problem with the word “snitch”? I guess he doesn’t have a problem with Shockey using the word “rat” to describe the informant in his texts with Payton.

If there was a market for it, I could make an extremely comfortable living busting Roger Goodell on all his hypocrisy and contradictions. he gives me fresh material daily.

kingfish4242 says:Mar 26, 2012 8:34 PM

Fwiw, I’m a Saints fan and don’t believe it was Shockey either. There are a few reasons why.

1. He has a solid friendship with Sean payton. That was proven in the tweets by both in the days that followed the punishment.

2. Shockey was part of a Bounty program that wasn’t a very well kept secret while playing at the U. It’s hard to believe someone who came up in that culture to commit the cardinal sin against it.

3. he was in the offensive meetings on Sat Night When all the planning and payouts went on in the defensive meetings led by Gregg Williams.

I have my belief,but obviously have zero proof,so I will not drop a name. Think former defensive player who was released,thinks he can still play,and is bitter about it.

I watched the whole press conference Roger never said shockey was not the snitch nor did he even imply that

discosucs2005 says:Mar 26, 2012 8:40 PM

“hittfamily says:
Mar 26, 2012 8:11 PM

That’s the fault of hip hop? Really? Cause gangster movies of the 1930s and 1940s were so kind to “rats”. Or the Oscar winning film “The Departed”.

Ummm. You do realize those are the bad guys right?”
______________________________________________________________

Yeah, because no one ever idolizes the bad guy…

You’re too stupid to argue with. Don’t bother responding. You go ahead and think hip hop is to blame. You’re probably the type of person who is going to blame violent TV shows and video games when your kids turn out like failures.

Shut up Goodell!! Like you would really say if Shockey was or not the whistleblower!!

jenniferxxx says:Mar 26, 2012 8:48 PM

Junkie Shockey needs money.

hittfamily says:Mar 26, 2012 8:53 PM

discosucs2005 :You’re too stupid to argue with. Don’t bother responding. You go ahead and think hip hop is to blame. You’re probably the type of person who is going to blame violent TV shows and video games when your kids turn out like failures.
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I’m too stupid to argue with, and yet you respond? Which one of us is too stupid again?
Put the Tu Pac CD on and light up a blunt. Make sure you clean up the apartment before your mom gets home though.

i got over the fact that every single stains fan says “the stains weren’t the only team to be doing this, you know. they’re just the ones who got caught”. a long time ago, but i guess i’m still amazed by how bad of losers they are about this. i mean, they had decades of practice….

discosucs2005 :You’re too stupid to argue with. Don’t bother responding. You go ahead and think hip hop is to blame. You’re probably the type of person who is going to blame violent TV shows and video games when your kids turn out like failures.
—————————————————-
I’m too stupid to argue with, and yet you respond? Which one of us is too stupid again?
Put the Tu Pac CD on and light up a blunt. Make sure you clean up the apartment before your mom gets home though.
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How about put in a Motorhead CD (play the track “Traitor”), drink some 151 poof alcohol shots, bang your head on the table.

Did Goodell actually say that? Or are we implying it? Because I saw part of the press conference on NFL N, but I don’t remember him actually saying “Jeremy Shockey was not the whistle blower.”

johnnycash19…
I heard the same press conference and I also was thinking the same thing when I read this story. I honestly believe that Mike is trying to steer this story and create something in my honest opinion.

I am actually kind of shocked at the twist to honest. I expect better, or maybe I should pay better attention to what is posted here?

I hate how hip hop has imposed some stupid rule on doing the right thing. Turning in murderers to authorities isn’t “snitching”. Turning illegal business practices that endanger others isn’t “snitching”. Someone did the right thing here, and saved a few careers. The next time I hear the word snitch used, I hope it is the last time.

Sapp sucks. Most overrated NFL player of all time. Plus hes a liar. He has no ethics, morals, or honor. He should take a lesson from a pristine player like Willie McGinest. Now that was a great defensive player.

Who’s a liar?
Sapp.
Bingo.

fafaflunky says:Mar 26, 2012 11:05 PM

Ignorance is bliss

goldsteel says:Mar 26, 2012 11:09 PM

pftrocks says: Mar 26, 2012 7:59 PM

Im suprised the Steelers were not added to the Bounty list after the greatest body slam in NFL history—
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I was waiting for the Steelers to be dragged into this argument. As a Steelers fan, I know that if the Steelers were allowed to play the way they should, the Steelers will be happy to beat the crap out of any team you can think of for NOTHING! IT’S CALLED FOOTBALL!

As far as Shockey is concerned, he’s a mediocre player that no one trusts. Would you want a suspected snitch on your team? Someone that will go cry to the Commissioner whenever he doesn’t get what he wants. Anytime someone talks about lawyers the Commissioner feels he has to step in to “fix” the problem. This isn’t football. It’s Kabuki theater.

Telling someone is important to save careers. Why are people wimps these days with anonymous sources and not having the courage to say they did it or said it. Man Up America!

chawk12thman says:Mar 26, 2012 11:42 PM

What did the Commissioner say exactly? Haven’t heard nor seen in writing that Shockey is not the whistlerblower.

fafaflunky says:Mar 26, 2012 11:57 PM

Steelers fans angry and annoying

rajbais says:Mar 27, 2012 12:00 AM

Ok Roger!!!

You suspended the Saints’ coaches!!!

Now, suspend Sapp!!!! Teach him that he CANNOT be that irresponsible!!!!

hittfamily says:Mar 27, 2012 12:07 AM

prettyboyjd says:
Mar 26, 2012 10:15 PM

Not hip hop, try old mafia guys! Quick to blame hip hop…check your own first!
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Check my own first? My own as in white people? I never made this a race issue. Not all black people ascribe to live the hip hop lifestyle. I am attacking the hip hop lifestyle, not black people. I would appreciate you not attacking me for the color of my skin, as I have not attacked you for the color of yours.

Being the sharp lawyer that he is, Goodell will probably wait for the damning revelations about Sapp to come out in sworn testimony in the course of the lawsuit before firing Sapp. That way, he and the NFL have rock-solid, iron-clad defenses to any frivolous suit filed by Sapp for wrongful termination.

Sapp will probably just resign his position anyway, knowing that he has no choice.

sudz28 says:Mar 27, 2012 6:07 AM

@pftrocks:
Thanks for sharing that link, I had totally forgotten about that AWESOME football gang-tackle by the beloved Steelers! Made my morning to watch it. I have no clue what it has to do with bounties or the topic at hand, but great clip.

Goodell: Shockey is not…I repeat not the decent human being who saw something wrong and try to right it so don`t treat him as such…he deserves no credit in this…he is …like any other player trying to keep this under the rug…a part of the problem and should be treated as such…just another scum bag.

bangitfootball says:Mar 27, 2012 7:23 AM

I really cant believe Sapp hasnt been fired yet. What he did was really despicable.

I hope he does sue Sapp. Then they will force Godell to say who brought it to there attention to prove it wasn’t Shockey.

hecrow55 says:Mar 27, 2012 12:35 PM

Isn’t Sapp saying that Shockey is a snitch actually Sapp snitching on Shockey?

I’m so confused!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lmao

sarge2006 says:Mar 27, 2012 1:11 PM

Warren Sapp should have been fired a long time ago. There is only one person who covers the NFL who is worst than him and that is Michael Irvin. No insight, no anything that the shows me that either of them prepared for the broadcast. When I listen to either of the Sharp’s it is very interesting, always showing you differant angles to a story or play that people who never played in the NFL would like to know about. If I want a couple people who’s main job is to laugh and talk over everyone else, then Sapp and Irvin our the guys to do it. Talk about a one man wrecking crew watch Sapp on Showtime with Brown,Collinsworth and Simms.
Any guest they bring on is better than Sapp.

sportmentary says:Mar 28, 2012 4:52 AM

This makes Sapp look like even a bigger idiot than we knew he was. The guy should have been fired by the NFL Network.